Then you'll be working with a systems driven professional who can help you get your learning content created right, the first time.
You value the experience of someone who has blazed the trail before you, and you have the time, budget and motivation to nail your project and cement yourself as the expert in your niche.
How would it feel to be working with someone who has the exact skillset you're after, makes the whole process fun, and has been honing their trade for over 20 years with over 90 different cultures in 12 different countries?
Yep, there's a video where you can get a brief snapshot of what it's like to work with me. Lights, camera, action. Half Italian woman waving hands wildly. That kinda thing. Pressing play = 'meeting' me briefly, possibly saving yourself a phone call and giving you a taste of my approach to creating quality content... otherwise, read on...
If you're in the business of sharing your skills, expertise and knowledge . . .
I'm in the business of making that actually happen - efficiently, and to a high quality standard.
Work with me if you are
- a professional with a body of knowledge
- running a consultancy, a small business, working in an organisation or NFP
- in the business of sharing knowledge and helping other adults learn from your expertise by delivering presentations, workshops, seminars, courses or group programs
And one of more of these are true for you...
- You have lots of learning content ready, but you know it needs a revamp.
- You have lots more content lurking in your archives, hard drives (or still stuck in your head!) that you KNOW you should be doing something more with.
- You don't have enough time or know-how to put it all together in a way that gets real results for your clients.
- You need a reliable team to help you pull it all together.
- You're feeling a bit disorganised or in procrasti-baking/cleaning mode when it comes to tackling this project.
- You know you can do it, you just need a gentle, friendly, flexible kick up the proverbial from someone who has done it hundreds of times already.
Don’t work with me if:
- You’re a killer presenter who can engage an audience from wo to go.
- You don’t work well with someone giving you work to do and deadlines to get it done.
- You've got an awesome team of VAs, designers and producers ready to create best practice resources.
Still reading? Nice one. I have products and services that can help...
With 20 years of qualifications and experience in teaching and learning in the international market, I have worked with professionals, small teams and whole organisations.
Regardless of the size or nature of the work you do, there are 4 stages to creating quality learning content if you want your learners to be engaged and walk away with real life skills.
If you resonate with what's in this video (or what you've been reading so far), select the button below that best describes how you work.
It's hard to know who to trust these days. I get it.
Below are a range of testimonials from people who have worked with me over the past 15 years. Otherwise, check out the more extensive list of testimonials from the range of Clients I've worked with in Small Business, Education Management, Schools and Colleges. My Giving Back page will give you an idea of how I'm committed to providing quality education and training to upcoming teachers, and the Published page will provide you with a list of my publications, awards and qualifications.
Blown away with how well the techniques and strategies worked
Maria! Just wanted to let you know how the workshop went ... IT WAS AWESOME!!!! ..... They took notes! They asked questions! They talked to me and each other! They gathered together in the morning tea break and chatted to each other about their projects! They all thanked me individually as they left. Then they posted a string of amazing testimonials for me on social media and the website ... Woooohoooo!!! So now, of course, my brain is exploding with 'what's next'.
Thank you thank you thank you thank you .... just so glad I did this with you - it seriously made all the difference. To the content, to the benefit they got, to how I felt. The one thing I really felt from the workshop was just how amazing the interaction was.... I was blown away by how well the techniques and strategies you'd taught me worked, how much better and more confident it made me at delivering the workshop - and how much it improved attendee experience. I also love the butt kicks you gave me a long the way, and how our time together helped keep me accountable to creating this workshop methodically and intentionally (rather than last minute and in a panic!) Love your work!
Inspired? Listen to her success story, here. (Yep, she's working with celebrities now!)
On working with me overall, Amelia had this to say:
"Working with Maria gave me a focussed, supportive accountability framework, and overhauled both my online course, and created the in-person workshop related to it. To get that perspective, and insight to create the content for my workshop, totally simplified preparing for it. What would ordinarily be a ridiculously nerve-wracking experience for me to prepare for my first workshop, became a planned, methodical and accountable way of extracting the best of me and my content, into a massively useful presentation. And on the day, that meant I only had to focus on delivering it - no second guessing what I was presenting at all. The workshop has received brilliant feedback and is a great conversion tool for my business. Maria's work in reviewing my online program has also totally next-levelled it. I'm just about to implement all of our changes, and can't wait to see the amazing results it gets because I know my members are going to LOVE it.
All in all, Maria has been an integral part of my team this year, and helped me, and my business, keep going from strength to strength. Can't recommend her highly enough.
Amelia Lee
Founder and Architect, Undercover Architect
Fancy reading more about what it's really like to work with me?
Choose the industry you most closely identify with, to read more testimonials from people who are in a similar position to you:
Looking for a guest speaker or presenter?
I LOVE writing, speaking and making guest appearances.
Check out the range of publications I've featured in, and how to secure me at your next event.
Who am I when I'm not working?
Travel
Nobody works in 10 different countries unless they love travel. Exploring the world and learning about other people, customs and languages is at the heart of my journey. I've travelled through 41 countries thanks to the 14 overseas postings I've enjoyed over the last 20 years, and don't see that number staying the same for long ... All the images used on this site are from my travels, and I continue to live and work overseas, with a base in Ubud, Bali, and a base in Perth, Australia.
It's also the way I Give Back; read more about this, in the Grass roots projects section.
Languages
My love of languages led me to gain my first degree in languages, and since that I've picked up another few from living and working in countries where there was little English understood. Nothing like throwing yourself in at the deep end!
Since my initial degree I’ve been lucky enough to work with nationals from over 60 different countries. I believe that having such broad exposure to inter-cultural communication has been the key to understanding my learners, and being able to create learning experiences that will work for a range of ages, cultures, and learners from various backgrounds.
It's also the way I Give Back; read more about this, in the Grass-roots projects section below.
Grass roots Projects
I love using my skills to make a difference to marginalised communities and people.
From recent case work defending a young Indigenous Australian youth whose English language skills put him at a significant disadvantage to teaching refugees and migrants from all over the world as part of the Adult Migrant English Program in Australia to advocating for teachers, trainers and lecturers in the worlds of ESL, EAL/D and TESOL, I’m always looking to contribute my skills in a practical way.
Every year I find a school that would otherwise not have access to the quality education and teacher training that we're blessed with in Australia and take some time out to give back some of the expertise that I've collected along my journey. Find out more about my Giving Back program.
Qualifications
For the bits of paper; here's a brief snapshot...
Major Qualifications include:
- Master of Education with Distinction (TESOL), University of Wollongong
- Bachelor of Arts (Italian and Indonesian), University of Western Australia
- Certificate IV in Training and Assessment TAE, TAFESA
- Certificate IV in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages),
- CELTA, Milner International College of English
There’s more where that came from if you’re interested in the full experience and qualifications history. LinkedIn has the full details.
Awards
Major Awards include:
- Professional Teaching Council of WA: Outstanding Service Award 2016
- EduPreneur of the Year Awards 2015: Vocational Education and Training Category
- Global Impact Awards 2015: Second Place Winner
- Curtin University: Excellence and Innovation in Teaching Award, 2009
- University of Western Australia: six month International Scholarship for study in Indonesia.
There's also a full page dedicated to the Awards, Publications, Papers and Guest Appearances I've featured in recently.
Community Service
Contributing to the education and small business communities.
Over the years I've dedicated myself to helping out in the community. I've been involved in countless fundraising events including skydiving to raise money for a school in Tanzania, and 5 years of service in the Apex Club of Perth, Western Australia.
I wouldn't be where I am in the world without a lot of help from people along the way, so that's why I continue to stay connected to the small business and education communities by volunteering my time and services to those who need it.
For 2 years I volunteered as an Office Hours Mentor at Spacecubed, which is a co-working space in Perth, Western Australia. I was appointed as an Intensify Scholarship Mentor for two amazing young human beings Ryan Beckmand who is the brainchild behind Sciosity, a company specialising in education and training using Virtual Reality, and Zsuzsa Octaviano who is working with young women on meditation, mindfulness and feminine issues. Inspiring to be working with such dedicated young people!
I was also, for 2 years, the Vice President of the not for profit, volunteer run, state industry association that looks after ESL and TESOL teachers in Western Australia: WATESOL Inc., where we advocate for the rights of ESL and EAL/D teachers and students in Western Australia. I recently stepped down from the position of Vice President after taking the organisation through a complete digital overhaul including putting all their memberships, resources, events and communication methods online. I'm still in the General Committee and help out with the technical side of the organisation.
Know you need help but not sure what you need?
Book in for your complimentary 15 minute Strategy Session here!
I look forward to working with you in the near future.
Founder and Director
SELECT Consultants Pty Ltd trading as Create Real Change™
ABN: 46 161 932 305
